5 Chuck Liddell fights that could've but didn't happen in the UFC
Chuck Liddell is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in UFC history. He was a fan favorite throughout his MMA career with his fighting style and highlight-reel knockouts. He was one of the most popular fighters in the sport and achieved a great deal.
Liddell debuted in 1997 and made a name for himself in the light heavyweight division. It wasn't long before he fought the likes of Vitor Belfort, Kevin Randleman, and Randy Couture. In 2005, he reached the pinnacle of the sport when he knocked out Couture to become the light heavyweight champion.
'The Iceman' was a massive draw for the promotion and generated record pay-per-view buy-rates. This was significant at the time because MMA was still fairly new and the promotion was just reaching one million pay-per-view buys.
Despite the entertaining bouts Liddell was involved in, there were still many intriguing bouts that could've taken place. This list will look at five Chuck Liddell fights that could've but didn't happen in the UFC.
#5 Liddell vs. UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar
Congrats to TUF 1 stars Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar on their induction into the UFC Hall of Fame today! http://t.co/tjUAWM00FS
UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar was somebody who always brought it inside the octagon. He earned his place in MMA history through his time on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Although he didn't win TUF, his fight with Forrest Griffin has since been immortalized in the Hall of Fame. The fight was crucial to the promotion for gaining a broadcast deal with Spike TV in the United States. Despite being the underdog in the majority of his bouts, Bonnar was far from being an easy win.
'The American Psycho' vs. 'The Iceman' would have been a logical bout to book in 2009. Bonnar was riding a two-fight winning streak, while Liddell was coming off a devastating knockout loss to Rashad Evans.
They were no strangers to one another as 'The Iceman' coached on TUF season one opposite Randy Couture, who coached Bonnar. However, a battle between the two remained a pipedream.